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Milford Sound Premium Coach and Cruise with Lunch from Te Anau

Offered by Southern Discoveries

From

$295.00 per person

4.7 (44 reviews)

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Booking handled by our partner, Viator

7 hours (approx.) Mobile or paper ticket accepted Offered in: German, Portuguese, Japanese, English, Chinese (China), French, Spanish

Travel from Te Anau to Milford Sound by glass roof coach with stops at Lake Gunn and Eglinton Valley, then join a 1 hour 45 minute Nature Cruise.

Tour Overview

Travel from Te Anau to Milford Sound in a premium glass roof coach, with reclining seats, extra legroom, air conditioning, USB charging ports and an onboard toilet. Departure is from the Southern Discoveries Visitor Centre at 80 Lakefront Drive, with local driver commentary along the Milford Road and stops for short walks and viewpoints.

The journey includes time to stretch your legs near Lake Gunn, where small lakes can reflect the Earl Mountains when conditions allow. In the Eglinton Valley, interpretation panels explain avalanche impacts on the Milford Road and local wildlife. You may also stop at a glacier fed spring overlooking the upper Hollyford Valley, an area where kea are often seen. The route continues through the Homer Tunnel, completed in 1953, before following sections of the Cleddau River toward the fiord.

At Milford Sound, exchange your pass and board a 1 hour 45 minute Nature Cruise. On the water, the skipper shares commentary as you pass Mitre Peak, Lady Bowen Falls and Stirling Falls. The fiord is also home to fur seals, penguins and dolphins. Free tea and coffee are available on board, and a freshly packed picnic lunch is included if purchased. This is a straightforward, well organised way to experience Milford Sound from Te Anau without driving yourself.

What's Included

  • Informative commentary provided by local coach driver
  • Skippers providing informative commentary on board cruise
  • Return transport from Te Anau to Milford Sound on a premium coach
  • FREE tea and coffee on board cruise
  • USB charging ports on board coach
  • FREE Multilingual App for Coach and Cruise
  • Milford Sound Nature Cruise
  • Freshly prepared Lunch

Not Included:

  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)

What To Expect

  1. 1

    Te Anau

    10.00am Coach pick-up from Southern Discoveries Visitor Centre (80 Lakefront Drive Te Anau) • Travel on a premium glass-roof coach, equipped with reclining seats, extra legroom, air-conditioning • USB charging ports and onboard toilet • Experienced, local coach drivers provide engaging and informative commentary, and show you the best short walks and photo stops along the Milford Road • Coach connects with our Milford Sound Nature Cruise 1 hour 45min cruise of Milford Sound • Skipper provides entertaining and informative commentary • Freshly Packed Picnic Lunch is included if purchased • FREE tea and coffee

    20 minutes

  2. 2

    Te Anau

    Te Anau is a beautiful town on the South Island of New Zealand. It’s known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is home to endangered, flightless takahē birds and abundant trout in Lake Te Anau. Here is where your day trip will start from, you can meet us at the Southern Discoveries Visitor Centre on 80 Lakefront Drive at 9:45am.

    20 minutes

  3. 3

    Mirror Lakes Walk

    Enjoy a stroll among small lakes with stunning reflections of the Earl Mountains, should weather be permissive on the day. This is an easy, short walk off the Milford Road.

    15 minutes

  4. 4

    Eglinton Valley Camp

    Interpretation panels show the effect of avalanches on the Milford Road and provide information on the wildlife of the Eglinton Valley. Visitor amenities include toilets and a telephone (card payment only).

    10 minutes

  5. 5

    Monkey Creek

    Take in great views of the upper Hollyford Valley while you fill up your water bottle from this glacier fed spring. Friendly Keas (a New Zealand alpine parrot) love this area so it's a great stop for some kea spotting.

    10 minutes

  6. 6

    Eglinton Valley

    This beautiful valley is glaciated with steep sides and a flat floor. It's between half a kilometre to two kilometres wide and has a shingle riverbed floor, which is constantly being changed by the Eglinton River. This is an incredible stop you will make as apart of your journey to Milford Sound with Southern Discoveries.

    10 minutes

  7. 7

    Lake Gunn

    Lake Gunn is a strikingly beautiful lake in the South Island of New Zealand.

    Pass by without stopping

  8. 8

    Homer Tunnel

    At an altitude of 945 metres above sea level and 1.2 kilometres in length, the unlined road tunnel allows access through sheer rock to Milford Sound with a gradient of 1 in 10. Completed in 1953, traffic lights control the traffic flow through the tunnel. An incredible part of your journey along the Milford Road.

    Pass by without stopping

  9. 9

    Cleddau River

    The Cleddau River is a beautiful river of New Zealand. It flows into the head of Milford Sound. You'll see many parts of this river as you journey along the Milford Sound road.

    Pass by without stopping

  10. 10

    Milford Sound

    Milford Sound is a fiord in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s known for towering Mitre Peak, plus rainforests and waterfalls like Stirling and Bowen falls, which plummet down its sheer sides. The fiord is home to fur seal colonies, penguins and dolphins. Milford Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory offers views of rare black coral and other marine life. Southern Discoveries cruises are a popular way to explore.

    2 hours 10 minutes

  11. 11

    Southern Discoveries - Milford Sound Visitor Centre

    Exchange your pass and board your Nature cruise. Your journey on the water starts here!

    Pass by without stopping

  12. 12

    Bowen Falls

    The stunning Lady Bowen Falls is Milford’s highest waterfall. It plunges 162m from a hanging valley into the head of Milford Sound and provides electricity for the Milford Sound township by feeding a small hydroelectric scheme, as well as being the water source for the settlement.

    Pass by without stopping

  13. 13

    Sinbad Gully

    Nestled behind the world famous Mitre Peak, the Sinbad Gully is characterised by extremely steep glacially carved walls punctuated by near vertical granite cliffs. These walls slowed pest invasion into the gully and as a result a number of unique native species remain in the Sinbad. Southern Discoveries is passionate about preserving Milford Sound’s beauty for future generations which is why it’s a key partner in a major conservation project – the Sinbad Sanctuary Project. The aim is to see the valley of New Zealand’s most photographed mountain (Sinbad Gully is at the base of Mitre Peak) become a sanctuary for native species.

    Pass by without stopping

  14. 14

    Stirling Falls

    Milford’s second-highest waterfall is the Stirling Falls, a staggering 151m in height – three times the height of Niagara Falls, but the 1,300m mountain behind displaces this incredible height. This is the famous waterfall that Hugh Jackman ‘jumped off’ in the movie Wolverine. The sheer drop of the Stirling Falls allows boats to get right underneath – it’s an incredible feeling to have the power of 151m worth of glacial water falling so close to you.

    Pass by without stopping

  15. 15

    Mitre Peak

    Mitre Peak is a beautifully dramatic mountain in the South Island of New Zealand, located on the shore of Milford Sound. It is one of the most photographed mountain peaks in the entire country.

    Pass by without stopping

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

80 Lakefront Drive

80 Lakefront Drive, Te Anau 9600, New Zealand

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Please head inside the Southern Discoveries office situated at the above address (80 Lakefront Drive, Te Anau) to check in for your trip. Please make sure you arrive at least 15mins before your departure time.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Important Information

Appropriate child restraints are not provided by the operator. These must be provided by the parent or caregiver - without this you may be turned away and unable to travel - please be prepared. *Please make sure you are at your required pickup location at least 15mins prior to departure. *If you booked before 24th November 2022 you will receive a picnic lunch not buffet. You do however have the option to upgrade to buffet lunch at an additional cost on check in *A smaller vehicle which does not feature a glass roof may be used with smaller groups for a more personalised experience.

Additional Info

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Please advise of your country of origin at the time of booking
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
  • Sunscreen and insect repellent advisable
  • Appropriate child restraints are not provided by the operator. These must be provided by the parent or caregiver - without this you may be turned away and unable to travel - please be prepared.
  • Please make sure you arrive at least 15mins before your departure time.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.